[mythtv-users] Small, low cost MythTV clients...

[Rich West]

stuart wrote:
> Hi Mark...
>
> Mark Chang wrote:
>   
>> On 5/1/07, stuart <stuart at xnet.com> wrote:
>>     
>>> Well, that's an alternative.  But keep in mind the box we are talking
>>> about (Galaxy 3500 IPTV (and others like the MediaMVP)) are disk-less,
>>> require no fans and run on something much less than 10 watts (the wall
>>> plug for the Galaxy is rated for 12 volts at about 1 amp).  So, for me,
>>> it's obvious why such a box would be preferred over a full blown
>>> computer - even if the computer is just a little over $300.
>>>       
>> Am I right in thinking that the LinkPlayer2 and the Galaxy are the
>> current best bets for HD playback? Seems compelling to play with.
>>     
>
> I am in no position to say (haven't done enough home work).  Let's just 
> say I bought my Galaxy 3500 for less than $200 - so the price was right. 
>   As for what it can do - it has played back NTSC & ATSC (@ 720p & 
> 1080i) recorded and served up by a MythTV box.  It has done this to a 
> NTSC set w/o any problems.  It passes digital sound out it's optical 
> SPDIF as well as stereo analog with the correct cable.  Out of the box, 
> it sees the MythTV UPnP server and plays back recordings.  It does not 
> play back MythTV audio recordings as the audio portion of the MythTV 
> UPnP server is broken and only fixed in the SVN code (i.e. you have to 
> get the development source code and compile MythTV for your self).  It 
> does not have a digital HD output.  I have been told it plays back HD 
> content on an HD monitor well using its constituent cable.
>
> If you need to play back audio and / or video recordings, you can get 
> and compile WizD for your server box.  This combination (WizD and 
> Galaxy) works well as the Galaxy will display the WizD web pages which 
> are much better than the Galaxy's built in menus.

It is interesting, that is for sure.  It's quite a tease since it does 
have component out.  I'd be interested to see how this develops.  Having 
a full-blown desktop workstation (ok, so mine is a tiny Shuttle box, but 
still) sucking up all of that juice vs a thin client like that and 
getting HD.. That's something to look out for.

Admittedly, as of right now, I have very little understanding of how 
UPNP works and what the menu system would even look like on one of these 
units.  Now, had I come across this 6 months ago when I put my systems 
together, I might have gone for these.. :)

-Rich